1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automatically aligning image data in an image processing apparatus, such as a facsimile machine. More particularly, it relates to automatically aligning image data in an image processing apparatus, such as a facsimile machine that may be reproduced askew on paper because the document to be sent is conveyed to a readout device at a slant by a feeding roller when the document is scanned by a laser light source for document transmission or reproduction.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to a facsimile technique that has been used for years for the rapid transmission of documents, the document that is on the document-to-be-sent position is conveyed by a feeding roller and scanned by a laser light source from a laser scanner. The document passes through a readout device, communication information system (CIS) or charge coupled device (CCD) so that image data to which the contents of the document are converted is read out. When the feeding roller fails to convey the document to the readout device in a straight line, however, the image data is transferred to plain paper at a slant to cause poor reproduction quality and deterioration to the quality of a facsimile machine.
Exemplary efforts representation of contemporary practice with image processing apparatus having techniques for automatically aligning image data include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,435 to Arai et al. entitled Picture Printing Device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,230 to Kurose entitled Document Image Processing System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,227 to Kita entitled Image Rotating Device, U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,653 to Ikehira entitled Image Processing System Having Skew Correcting Means, U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,260 to Kurosu et al. entitled Method For Determining The Amount Of Skew Of Image, Method For Correcting The Same, And Image Data Processing System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,438 to Katsurada et al. entitled Facsimile Device With Skew Correction And Text Line Directions Detection, U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,607 to Crosby entitled Facsimile Machine For Printing Documents All With Corresponding Edges Aligned But Without Requiring Scanning, U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,420 to Bloomberg et al. entitled Method And Apparatus For Identification Of Document Skew, U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,371 to Masui entitled Image Processing apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,621 to Hatchet al. entitled Document Detection Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,417 to Kuznicki et al. entitled Method And Apparatus For Correcting An Angle Of An Optical Image For Improving The Efficiency Of Facsimile Encoding Of The Image, U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,918 to Ishitani entitled Document Skew Detection/Control System For Printed Document Images Containing A Mixture Of Pure Text Lines And Non-Text Portions, U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,387 to Kelly et al. entitled Electronic Image Registration for A Scanner.